Clothespin



V DAVIS.

CLOTHESPIN.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-26,1919.

Patsnmd; Jmw E15, 192% gmvawbm 3 5M @Votozwmg NirEo srArEs VIRGINIA DAVIS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CLOTHESPINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15,1920),

Application filed August 26, 1919. Serial No. 320,057.

the type wherein the slot of the pin is transversely channeled to provide more positive means for gripping clothes on a line. Pins of this general character have long been known, but possess inherent disadvantages which have precluded their practical use to any appreciable extent. As these pins have generally been made, they have been in the form of the usual clothes pin provided with a flat faced slot. Across the flat faces of either one orboth sides of said slot have been formed transverse channels adapted to conform with the clothes line to grip the pin tightly in place thereon. When a pin is thus constructed there is no question regarding its ability to grip a line and maintain its position thereon, but it is found quitedifii:

cult to remove one of these pins from the line, and not infrequently the clothes, which are held in position by such pin, become torn or stretched during removing the pin. Accordingly, while pins of this character operate with high efliciency to hold canvas, rugs and the like on the clothes line, which material is of such heavy and substantial nature as to preclude disruption or tearing by the pin, it has been found practically impossible to remove light and fra ile fabrics from a line when held in position by such pins without tearing or straining of the fabric. v

- With the foregoing considerations in mind, the object o the present invention is to provide a clothes pin of the general character specified which will be free from the objections stated, and may be thus adapted for' use with the lightest fabrics without fear of harming said fabrics in any possible way.

Features of the invention other than those specified and the structures by which they are carried out will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed descrlption taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawin s. 7

n'the accompanying drawings I have illustrated different practical embodiments of the invention, but the constructions therevalmost knife-like. inner surface of one of the legs intersects with one of the channels 4 and the outer surin shown are to be understood as illustrative only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 show clothes pins in side elevation formed to embody the present invention in different modified forms;

Figs. 4 and 5 are sections taken on the lines 4-4 and 5-5 respectively, of Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 6 shows the clothes pin of this invention in normal position on the line;

gig. 7 shows the manner of its removal; an

Fig. 8 is a section perspective of a clothes pin of a type formerly suggested, this view being incorporated here for the purpose of better understanding the present invention.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings, 1 have illustrated in section perspective, a clothes pin heretofore suggested for tightly gripping a line to preclude inadvertent disengagement therefrom. A pin formed in this manner is turned up in the old and well known way from a piece of wood to partake of the general configuration of the conventional clothes pin, and is provided with a slot 1,

forming on either side thereof a pair of resilient legs 2 and 3, depending for their resiliency upon the inherent springing character of the wood from which the pin is made. The walls of the slot 1 are cut sheer or fiat, and across said, flat surfaces are cut transverse grooves 4. Either one or both walls of the slot are grooved or channeled as described, so that when the pin is forced over a line, the line seats in one groove, or two of a pair of oppositely dis-' posed grooves, and the pin is gripped against inadvertent slipping from the line.

It 'will be noted, however, that in forming a pinin this manner that where the channels or grooves 4 intersect the outer surface of the pin, they make therewith a sharp edge, which, when the pin is cut properly, is Furthermore, where the face of said leg,-a relatively sharp point or projection results. These sharp points and knife-like edges render the pin extremely diflicult to remove. from the line since said 'points and edges literally dig into the clothes and line, and when sufiicient force is applied to pull the pin loose ha tearing or gorging action results on the clothes and said clothes are disrupted and torn.

Considerable experimentation has shown that these knife-like edges and points,

which are responsible for the tearing and cutting of the clothes, may be overcome by so forming the pin that the legs thereof are curvilinear in cross section, and'by so, further forming the pin as to increase its resiliency without seriously impairing the strength of the pin.

The preferred form of the pin of this invention is shown in Figs. 1 and 4. This pin is made of wood as usual, and embodies two legs 5 and 6 formed by bifurcating or slotting the pin in the usual manner. The base of the slot is provided with an enlargement of any suitable shape, which renders one of the legs of less thickness at its base and imparts to said legs increased yielding well as its removal from,

qualities when the pin is forced over a line. Both of the legs 5 and 6 have a curvilinear cross section preferably substantially elliptical as shown in Fig. 4:, and one ofthe legs 5 is provided with transverse channels 8 into either of which the line may enter to secure the pin in position. If desired, the channels 8 may be duplicated on the inner side of the leg 6, but in practice this is found to be unnecessary, as channels on one of the legs are entirely sufficient to hold the pin in position.

In the construction of Fig. 2, the general arrangement is the same as shown in Fig. 1 with the exception that the enlargement 7' at the base of the slot extends into the bases of both legs 5 and 6, and renders the pin still more flexible and resilient. In either of these forms the legs have a curvilinear cross section which not only obviates sharp cutting edges, but further facilitates the positioning of the pin on, as the line. When the pin is on the clothes line 9, of the usual upstanding position shown in Fig. 6, but in removing the pin from the line, it should be first tilted as shown in Fig. 7, after which it may be readily lifted free from the line by virtue of the wedging action of the curved interior faces of the legs. That this wedging will result is manifest from Fig. 4 of the drawings, and is found in practice to materially facilitate the removal of the pin from the line while presenting a smooth and uninterrupted surface to the clothes.

Some advantages of the present invention may be had by making only one of the legs curvilinear in cross section, and leaving the other leg of the pin flat as of old, after the manner shown in Fig. 5. The wedging action will prevail to some extent in this form of pin, but the best results are not present since the sharp edge is embodied in the construction.

In Fig. 3 a modified form of pin is shown wherein the enlargement at the base of the it partakes slot is omitted. The pin may be made in this manner, but it is found in practice to possess much less resiliency than in the case of the pins in Figs. 1 and 2, and, accordingly, must be made considerably larger than the preferred form of pin. By enlarging the base of the slot as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the legs are made so resilient and flexible that the pin may be made much smaller than usual, with consequent economy of material and the requirement of less room for storage.

It will thus be apparent from the foregoing description, that the pin of this invention is a marked improvement over those previously suggested, and the improvements made are such as to render a pin heretofore impractical, entirely practical and operative in the carrying out of its functions. It will appear that a pin of highest efficiency results from the combining of the curvilinear cross sectional legs and the enlargement at the base of the slot, but some of the features of the invention may manifestly be employed without necessarily employing all. Accordingly this invention is to be construed as broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

, 1. A clothes pin embodying a pair of resilient legs having a tapered slot therebetween, the interior face of one of said legs being transversely channeled for the purpose of precluding inadvertent disengagement of the pin from the clothes line forced into the slot and into engagement with a transverse channel thereof, at least one of said-legs being of curvilinear cross section, and the base of the slot being enlarged to impart increased resiliency to at least one of the legs of the pin.

2. A clothes pin embodying a pair of resilient legs forming an intermediate tapered slot, the base of which is enlarged to increase the resiliency of the legs, said legs being of substantially elliptical cross section, and the inner portion of at least one of said legs being transversely channeled.

3. A clothes pin embodying a pair of resilient legs forming an intermediate taperedslot, at least one of said legs having a curvilinear cross section, and one of said legs being transversely channeled on its in- VIRGINIA DAVIS.- 

